Bilbao or Bust in Europa League

Athletic Bilbao vs Manchester United

It’s Bilbao or bust in the Europa League, of that there is no doubt.

This SBOTOP observer knows all the pressure is on the visitors who will be keen to return to Spain for next month’s final.

Firstly, though, they have to overcome arguably the tournament favourites on their own patch.

Both teams have enjoyed Europa League 2025 highlights so far and, after what I witnessed in Mad-chester 12 short days ago, it’s fair to say anything can happen.

Talking Points

That night at Old Trafford was one I will never forget, and the character and sheer will to win will be required again over two legs against the side comfortably sat in fourth place in La Liga and, as a result, a good bet to reach next season’s Champions League whether or not they win this trophy.

There’s no doubt who Manchester United will look to inspire them.

In captain Bruno Fernandes, the Red Devils have their go-to man throughout the season, top scoring, making the most assists for his club and a strong leader.

Athletic Bilbao have their own obvious dangermen, of course, in the Williams brothers, Inaki and Nico, who have long grabbed the headlines, and Nico starred in Spain’s Euro 2024 triumph last summer in which he made the official UEFA team of the tournament.

They also have attacking midfielder Oihan Sancet. The 25 year-old has ripped up the Primera Division this season and is the joint-fourth top scorer in La Liga with 15 strikes from 25 appearances.

It will certainly be a blow for the hosts if, as it appears, he will miss the first leg and, possibly, both ties as he is suffering from a ‘moderate lesion’ in the femoral bicep of his left leg, an injury sustained during Bilbao’s league win over Las Palmas last week.

In the case of Nico Williams, the rumours continue linking him with a move away from the Basque club in the coming months, all this despite opting against a switch to Barcelona last summer.

Athletic Bilbao host Manchester United in the opening leg of their Europa League semi-final — Man United forward Joshua Zirkzee celebrates with teammates after scoring his team’s second goal vs Lyon

The 22 year-old is reportedly also a key transfer target for Mikel Arteta at Arsenal, with the Gunners prepared to trigger his €60 million release clause, and potentially pay more in a structured deal.

That will have to wait for now though as he aims to bring his boyhood club European success.

Bilbao have never won a European trophy, let alone joined the very, very small band of four clubs (Real Madrid, Inter Milan, Barcelona, Feyenoord) who’ve won a single-match European final (the UEFA Cup Final used to be played over two legs) in their own stadium over the past 70 years.

With next month’s final at Bilbao’s San Mames stadium, they would love to join that exclusive club but, standing in their way, the mighty Manchester United in what is a clash between last season’s Spanish and FA Cup winners.

History

United have actually lost three out of their four competitive matches against Athletic Club to date, with their sole victory coming back in February 1957 under the great Matt Busby.

That home success in the second leg of a European Cup quarter-final saw the Red Devils overturn a 5-3 deficit to win 6-5 on aggregate at Manchester City’s Maine Road. That tie was played across the city as the floodlights were damaged at Old Trafford.

Some five decades later, the pair were drawn together again, this time in the Europa League’s last 16 in March 2012.

Though Wayne Rooney bagged a brace, second-half strikes by Fernando Llorente, Oscar de Marcos and Iker Muniain saw the Basque club triumph 3-2 in England, before a 2-1 home win sealed their progress.

Under maverick coach Marcelo Bielsa, Athletic eventually reached that season’s final but could only finish runners-up.